The Ministry of Health and Welfare recently gave awards to two Korean mothers who gave birth to 13 children, including the mother of actress Nam Bo-ra, who is well-known for being the oldest of her 13 siblings. Eom Gye-suk, 60, was given the Seongnyu Medal, the fifth grade of the Order of Civil Merit given to those to recognize contributions to the country and welfare of the people with their outstanding accomplishments in the field of politics, economics, society, education or academics. She ga

A government report showed Sunday that a local group of citizen-journalists has been fined in connection with its decision to publish the names of those who lost their lives in the October 2022 crowd crush in Itaewon without getting consent from the victims' bereaved families. Mindle News, an independent media outlet founded in 2022, was fined 3 million won ($2,200) in late July by the Personal Information Protection Commission for violating the Personal Information Act, according to PIPC

A local court said Sunday it ruled against a company that fired an employee for taking without permission five mugs and one calendar intended as promotional gifts for customers. Seoul Administrative Court has ruled against Porsche Korea's official dealer, Autostadt, who challenged the National Labor Relations Commission's ruling on its firing of the employee. The company had dismissed the employee -- who had worked there nine years -- in February last year, arguing that he had taken th

City of Seoul aims to turn Smart Life Week, annual exhibition for urban solutions, into CES-like platform

Local rescue authorities said passengers of a bus managed to rescue a person from a burning car, with one sustaining an injury in the process. According to the Gyeongbuk Fire Service Headquarters, a sedan caught fire after colliding with a truck while backing up at the Goryeong junction in Goryeong-gun, North Gyeongsang Province, on the Gwangju-Daegu Expressway at around 9:13 a.m. on Oct.10. Passengers on a passing tour bus came over and pulled the driver out of the burning car, and one passenge

Steven Heo is on a mission to tackle Africa stereotypes and foster genuine understanding

As South Korea struggles with increasing reports of abuse against teachers, government data showed that a growing number of homeroom teachers are requesting to be replaced. In 2023, 124 homeroom teachers were replaced at their own request, which is more than double compared the 54 who were in 2020, according to Ministry of Education data submitted to Rep. Jeong Sung-kook of the ruling People Power Party. The figure has been rising for three years. It was 90 in 2021 and 118 in 2022, and 55 have

A woman in her 40s was sentenced to 15 years in prison for killing her 11-month-old nephew by throwing him from a 24th floor apartment. The Daegu District Court’s western branch on Thursday found the woman guilty of murdering the baby and ordered the 15-year sentence as well as five years of probation. Delivering the verdict, the court said “the victim died in pain, unable to express himself and the mother will live in pain with emotional scars.” She was convicted of killing

A warehouse manager in his 40s was arrested for allegedly stealing 6.8 billion won ($5.04 million) in cash from a storage facility he oversaw, police said Friday. The Songpa Police said it handed the case over to the prosecution, with the man facing charges, including theft, obstruction of business and property damage. The suspect exited the police station at 7:37 a.m. Friday, wearing a gray hat and mask, repeatedly saying “I am sorry.” According to police, the man stole the cash fro

Kim Beom-su, founder of tech giant Kakao Corp., has filed for bail two months after being arrested over suspected stock manipulation related to the firm's takeover of a K-pop agency last year, sources said Friday. Kim, now chairman of Kakao's Management Innovation Committee, filed for bail with the Seoul Southern District Court the previous day, legal sources said. Since his arrest on Aug. 8, Kim has been facing trial in detention, charged with involvement in the suspected stock manipu

Eleven gay and lesbian couples will attempt to register their marriages in South Korea on Friday, expecting to launch a legal process they hope will get the country to recognize marriage equality. The couples expect the local authorities will decline to register their marriages because South Korea does not currently recognize same-sex unions. They plan to file a lawsuit if they cannot register and, eventually, to force the constitutional court to give a ruling. One of the women planning to regis

Participants from 24 countries compete to honor Korea's iconic script, celebrating their growing connection to Korean language and culture

Gyeonggi Province has initiated temperament tests for dogs with aggressive traits on Thursday, as part of the new ownership approval process aimed at enhancing public safety and promoting responsible ownership. According to provincial government officials, the province's initial evaluation Thursday includes only three dogs, but a total of 549 registered dangerous dogs must be assessed within the next two weeks, as the six-month deadline for obtaining ownership permission approaches on Oct

The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Wednesday rolled out a package of benefits for pregnant women, a move to provide support for expectant mothers amid the city's record-low fertility rate. Effective immediately, pregnant women in the capital will enjoy priority access and discounts at various municipal facilities. The Gocheok Sky Dome and Jamsil Indoor Swimming Pool are offering a 50-percent discount on usage fees and sports lessons. The Seoul World Cup Stadium is waiving entrance fees fo

Meet the winners of the 1st Sejong Hangeul Olympiad